Israel: First Three Hostages Released

With the start of the truce in Gaza, the first hostages were released. According to Hamas, three women – Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari – were handed over to an International Red Cross convoy. This fact was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF): “After 471 days of captivity, three female hostages have returned home to Israel,” said Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari (pictured), according to whom “after their release at the reception point, the three women underwent initial medical examinations and will be reunited with their families, after which they will be transferred to the hospital.”

The release of the three women marked the effective start of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement, which calls for the gradual release of hostages and their exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The first phase is expected to last about 42 days, with 3 to 4 hostages released each week. Hagari reiterated that the Israel Defense Forces, in cooperation with the Shin Bet security service, the Mossad and the political leadership, continue to pursue the goals of the conflict: the destruction of Hamas’s government and military capabilities, the return of hostages, and the security of Israeli citizens. “The ceasefire was initiated at 11:15 today with the defensive deployment of troops along the Gaza border in accordance with the terms of the agreement,” Hagari stressed.

During the first phase of the truce, Hamas will release – as stipulated in the agreement – a total of 33 hostages. In seven days, it will be the turn of four more. Meanwhile, Israel will let go on Sunday, January 19, the first 90 (69 women and 21 minors) of the 737 Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for three Israeli women already released by Hamas.